Ethereal
by randomfan1265
Summary: Izuku does have a quirk. But will being able to talk to ghosts make him the greatest hero? If you meet the right ghost then yes.
1. Chapter 1

Ethereal

Graveyards; places of final resting. Graveyards are quiet places, often very ominous and unsettling to **most** people.

But not to young 5-year-old Izuku, to him graveyards are a place of solace and comfort. And no, he is not a gloomy child; he like all humans require social interaction. He spends his time talking about rather mundane things such as what happened in school today, which hero did what, and how he will be the greatest hero just like All Might. Speaking of these things makes him smile and fills him with hope of a bright future. But that may leave you wondering? Who exactly is he speaking with?

The answer is simple; he's speaking to Ghosts.

How is that even possible?

Another simple answer: that's his quirk.

Young Izuku can see and speak to Ghosts. He can't make them fight for him, he can't touch him, he can't make them do anything they don't want too. And because of this people assume he is quirkless.

Young children often do lie to fit in after all.

"Kacchan I swear! I have a quirk I can see Ghosts and talk to them!"

"Shut up loser! Ghosts don't exist, you're just a deku with no quirk. Prove you can talk to ghosts, make em do something!"

"Kacchan… I can't… I can't make them do anything"

"You can't make em do nothing because you're a liar!"

"I.. I.."

Before he could finish a well place explosion found itself across his face. Izuku tumbled to the ground; his cheek slightly bleeding.

"Since you can talk to ghosts, tell your Mommy to kiss that boo-boo of yours Deku." Little Katsuki laughed as he walked away.

That shot hurt much more than the explosion, Izuku tried in vain to fight back tears. He sat on the blacktop thinking of his mother. The only person in this world to show him love and compassion. He is too young to understand cancer. He doesn't know what that is or what it does. But he at a young age does know something no child should: the pain of loss.

Perhaps in another timeline Izuku would go to a teacher and ask for help with the bullying.

But then again perhaps in another timeline Izuku might have a mother and a flashy quirk.

There is no point for him to go and speak to a teacher. Quirk less children are often the bottom of the metaphorical totem pole. Combine that with the fact that his mother is dead and his father works so much that he might as well be dead too.

Izuku was an orphan in all but name.

He stops crying and picked himself up, he glances at his wristwatch: it read 5:32 pm

He gave a small smile and his being filled with optimism, only 3 more hours till someone would talk to him. Although there was a slight bit of despair mixed in as well. Because some nights there are no ghosts.

Ghosts are curious things in the world. Because not everyone who dies becomes a ghost. Only beings with feelings so strong that their spirits remain attached to the mortal realm. They travel freely in the world looking to resolve these unfulfilled feelings so that they may drift along to the next life.

As a result not every ghost will speaking with little Izuku. For example, a Ghost who was murdered by someone maybe remain attached to this world in order to see if the guilty will be punished. These Ghosts will pay no heed to Izuku, after all how will they find salvation by speaking to a lonely child?

No the only types of Ghosts that do end up speaking to Izuku are children, and young mothers. Young children who become ghosts have met a truly terrible fate, they are beings whose biological instinct to survive are so strong that they remain, however, they have no true purpose and therefore drift endlessly. Whether they can be released from this world is a mystery.

The young mothers on the other hand have a tangible reason. These are spirits who passed in child birth or passed before confirming the safety of their children. They wander in the hopes of seeing them safe. If they do they pass on to the next life.

The child ghosts speak to Izuku because of the similarity in age. Whereas, the young mothers speak to Izuku due to pity.

Izuku checks his watch again its 9:00 pm

Back in his apartment little Izuku prepares for his visit to the graveyard. His All Might theme hoodie wrapped snug around his frame. He gently walks out of the door and gives exceptional care to the door to ensure there is no noise being made. He begins his journey.

The night air is crisp yet gentle, the moon softly illumines Izuku's path to the graveyard. He walks with speed yet carefully. He knows that if something sees him there he will have to go home.

In case you were wondering, the main problem Izuku has with this is that he won't get to talk to anyone. Not that his dad will yell at him.

Because his dad won't yell for him.

After the death of his mother the man did nothing to care and nurture for his son.

He was ignored and uncared for.

Which is why he needs these visits to the graveyard. With the bullying at school and the isolation at home. These ghosts were his only source of compassion and attention.

He reaches a black fence and hastily climbs over upon landing he checks his watch. 9:40

His sanctuary has been achieved.

He begins looking for any ghosts. Any being that will talk to him.

He navigates the area and unfortunately the place is devoid of all life; spirits or otherwise. However, due to his tenacious nature Izuku does not give up.

He walks around in circles waiting and searching for a friend. But none arrive. He continues for an about hour and twenty.

Yet till there is nothing in sight.

He sighs to himself and whispers

"I guess it just one of those nights"

With a heavy heart he slowly walks back to the fence.

Before he begins to climb over he gives the graveyard once last glance.

His heart stops.

An eleven-o-clock Samaritan?

In the center of the graveyard on top of a mausoleum there was a young-looking woman with her hair tied back in a ponytail. The moon was glistening her form. She was with only her side facing little Izuku and she gazed into the starlit sky melancholily.

Izuku ran to the center of the yard as fast as he could and shouted.

"Mama !"

Tears flooded his eyes and he raised his voice again. He didn't care if someone found him. Consequences be damned.

"Mama !"

The ghost was startled. Just as Izuku reached the mausoleum. The ghost turned her body to fully face Izuku.

He looked at her taking in her full appearance. She was a well-built women with yellow gloves and a sleeveless bodysuit, as well as a white cape and a belt.

He fell back on his rear.

" You're.. You're Not Mama"

The woman looks at the young child her eyes filled with understanding and kindness.

She descended from the mausoleum: she drifted down slowly as a paper in the wind.

Izuku had a kaleidoscope of emotions surging through him. Some were shock, anger, despair, hopeless. The other were fear and anguish.

The reason being this ghost was the most powerful one he had ever felt.

Other ghosts were barely visible to Izuku even with his quirk. If he doesn't pay attention to them they can pass him without him even noticing. The Aura emitted by those ghosts were akin to a light breeze on a summer evening.

This woman on the hand: Her presence was undeniable, the aura she emitted was similar to that of frigid winds during a winter storm. As she seemly touched the ground Izuku could feel the power flooding the area near her.

Izuku had never felt this from a ghost. Maybe.. maybe this was the power of an evil ghost.

Izuku closed his eyes and prayed. He prayed that when he opened them this lady would be gone.

His prayers went unheard. But nothing bad happened

A pair of hands found its way under the arms of Izuku and gently took him to his feet.

This was a shock to Izuku! A ghost can't make physical contact with him!

The shock forced his eyes opens. And the ghost had bend her knees and was close to eye level with the child.

Her face was filled with kindness and her eyes were tender. She spoke gently

"No little one, Im not your Mama, but I'm Nana"

Izuku stuttered " Yo…..Your what?"

She giggled " My Name"

Struggling again Izuku replied "Huh…what?"

With all the patience in the world the ghost women answered.

"My name is Nana Shimura, what's your little one?"

 **Hey guys, this is my first story and Ive been day dreaming about a way to get more Nana in BNHA universe. So this is my way of doing so.**

 **This is my first story and before I go I will add two things**

 **Izuku will get one for all**

 **One for all and Izuku's quirk are gonna have some sickkk interactions**

 **Also, if anyone is willing to beta read for me that would be wonderful! Do it for Nana!**


	2. Chapter 2

"Izuku… Its Izuku Midroya" Izuku spoke his voice laced with confusion

"Don't be so afraid little Izuku, you have nothing to fear. I won't hurt you" replied Nana with a smile.

Like most small children; Izuku took her word at face value. Lucky for him, Nana was a person who would never in a million years dream of harming of a child.

She stood at her full height and gazed at Izuku, she was bemused. She was going to ask what a kid like him was doing out so late and that his parents are most likely worried sick about him. However, she remembered how frantically Izuku ran towards her shouting Mama. Putting two and two together she realized this kid was most likely an orphan. But even so shouldn't he have some sort of guardian?

"Little Izuku, what are you doing out so late. You probably have school and someone waiting for you no?"

Izuku look at his feet, his shoulders dropped down and gently whispered as tears started to leak out.

"No.. No I don't think I do"

Nana once again dropped to face level. Her hand reaching for Izuku's chin and lifting it to her own face. Using her thumb she brushed away the tears.

"What do you mean?"

Izuku stared into her eyes. They were so full of compassion and patience. But even more powerful for him was her smile.

Izuku didn't know how or why. But the smile filled him with a very familiar warmth. A warmth he hasn't felt since his mother passed.

More tears started to fall and he spilled his life story. The bullying, the isolation, the death of his mom, the neglected home life due to his father. How no one believes that he has a quirk and how this made no one really care about him. All the pain all the strife all of it he said he poured his heart out. Midway through the story he started crying harder and harder. He began hiccupping and stuttering through his story.

Even so Nana listen, her smile never wavered. She believed that smiling could mend people's hearts and in the most difficult moments you need the best smiles. After he finished his story he said.

"That's why I'm here…. because my friends are here"

Nana understood now. He was lonely. She wanted to comfort him, she wanted to make him feel happy and that he was important.

But she couldn't find the words.

There was a long silence before Izuku broke it.

"Why. Why are you here?"

"Excellent question." Nana thought to herself. All she remembers was her final showdown with All for One. And then she woke up on top of the mausoleum. She did die right? She looked at her hands and received an answer.

Yep she's dead alright. Her hands were translucent.

Why she was here she didn't know. All she had were some feelings. A feeling that made her feel hollow and sad.

She began to introspect and thought about all the major events in her life. Her friendship with Gran Torino, meeting and training Toshinori. Her husband and his death. Her battle with All for one.

Thinking about these events did trigger emotions. Yet the original void in her gut remained.

But then it hit her. Her baby. The one she had left behind due to her life has a hero.

Remembering her son flooded her with emotions. Every emotion from sad to furious enamored her being.

Izuku was looking at Nana, and to him she appeared like all ghosts. She was transparent. But less so than other ghosts but transparent still. However, in the moment where she was thinking about her son. She did something Izuku had never seen before. For the briefest of moments, she wasn't transparent.

She materialized.

Nana felt it too. As a ghost, her body always felt just slightly chilly and lighter than she remembered.

But in the heated moment of thinking about her son the chill and lightness disappear. Yet shortly came back.

" What…. What did you just do. How did you flicker like that?" Izuku asked bewildered.

"Honestly, I have no idea" Nana answered back while looking at her hands.

Silence once again ruled over them.

This time Nana broke it.

"You should head home little Izuku, its very late and growing kids need sleep yeah? You wanna be big and strong when you group up right?"

This sparked Izuku "OH YEAH. I WILL BE. IM GONNA BE THE GREATEST HERO JUST LIKE ALL MIGHT"

"All might?" Nana questioned remembering Toshinori's Hero name

Izuku replied with haste, his eyes shining, his voice happy and cheerful.

"All Might! He's the greatest hero. He a super cool hero that saves everyone with a great big smile. He's the best and I wanna be just like him"

Izuku went on rambling about how great All Might was and how he's gonna be the next All Might.

Nana was stuck in thought. And soon a smile bloomed across her face.

The crazy kid actually did it. A quirkless kid with his head in the clouds managed to become a symbol of peace.

He absolutely succeeded, Nana thought. If a kid with terrible circumstances like Izuku can find happiness from him. Toshinori did end up becoming that symbol he was talking about.

"Well done Toshinori. And thank you for filling your promising Gran Torino" she whispered softly into the night sky.

"Hey! Are you even listening" Izuku said while pouting.

She looked down and said while giggling "Sorry Sorry, I was just thinking about my life has a hero before I passed away"

Izuku froze

"You were a hero?"

"Yep I was a h.." Nana spoke before she was cut off

" Peoplesaymyquirkisn't anygoodandIcan'tdoanythingandandand" Izuku spoke quickly without taking a breathe inbetween.

"Hold on their chatterbox, speak slowly so I can understand you." Jeez this kid was as big of a nonsense prince as Toshinori. Nana thought to herself.

"Sorry its just.. if you were a hero then.. then you would know… Can I be a hero too?"

Nana look at Izuku. His eyes were hopefully and yet anxious at the same time. She remembered what she told Toshinori all those years ago.

" _When you have to save someone, they're usually in a scary situation. A true hero saves not only their lives, but also their spirits... That's what I believe. So no matter how scary things get, give 'em a smile, as if to say, "I'm a-ok". The people in this world who can smile are always the strongest"_

She said this because people needed something to help them pull through when times are tough. People can only continue if they had hope. She believed that if heroes can smile then people can have something that gives them a reason to power on.

But she also realized that a smile was not enough for little Izuku. He was alone, young, scared. While All Might's work did give him hope; Nana knew he needed something more. He just like Toshinori all those years Izuku has a big goal. And for a goal this big a smile isn't enough.

He needs someone to support him and his dreams.

 _A true hero saves not only their lives, but also their spirits... That's what I believe_

Yes. She would save little Izuku's spirit

Because even in death, Nana Shimura is a hero.

She replied; her voice kind yet filled with authority

"Yes, Izuku. You too can become a hero"


	3. Chapter 3

_Start of Season 1_

"You too can be a hero" Nana said to Izuku all those years ago

"Jeez why did I have to open my big mouth" Nana thought to herself.

See at the time of her telling him he could be a hero. She could have sworn that his quirk would be more than talking to ghosts. And she was right! Izuku could touch ghosts too.

Too bad the longer he did it he worst it made him feel.

Touching ghosts just made him nauseous. Which was no way suited for hero work.

Nana floated around in the apartment living room. Trying to remember all the different types of quirks she encountered in her life and tried to see if any were close to Izuku's.

But she knew of none. And if she was being honest, if a little kid came up to her and said I could see and talk to Ghosts she would probably laugh.

Then run because right after laughing she would remember that line from that scary American movie.

"I see dead people" she remembered a little boy whispering

She shuddered.

"HA HA HA HA" a loud voice broke her temporary paralysis

Veins popped in her forehead. That freaking video.

"Its fine now! Why? Because I am here" All Might shouted in the video.

" _Its fine now! Why? Because I am here"_ Nana mimicked in a condescending voice to herself.

She rolled her eyes and shouted

"Little Izuku brat, its time for school"

Freaking Toshinori is gospel to this kid. Every damn morning that same video playing again and again.

It was almost as annoying as the freaking "A call is here! A call is here!" ringtone.

No one came out of the room. Nana drifted to the door phased through it and took a look at the room again because every time she was in here it gave her chills.

All Might was everywhere.

"Scary" She thought to herself.

She snuck up behind Izuku and shouted "Hey! Time for school you fanboy"

Izuku shot out of his chair

"Right right, sorry Nana" He mumbled.

Izuku at a young age did try calling her "Mama" and "Nana-Nee" but Nana didn't really like it. So they both just called each other their first names. But Nana always added "little" in front of his.

Initially, she used it as a way to sort of demean him and try to motivate him to become stronger and mentally tougher.

He instantly took as a sign of affection and jumped and hugged her ghost form shouting "You're like my mom!" So now she does it because it makes the kid smile and he's too damn adorable when he smiles. She doesn't let him call her "Mom" though. Because it makes her too sad.

"Ok Nana, I'm heading out too school I put your favorite channel on too" Izuku said has he hurried out the door.

He left and that marks the start of Nana's daily routine. She would watch her favorite TV show for one hour in morning and then just wander the town. All because she couldn't freaking change the channel.

"Who freaking thought of this Ghost system" Nana sighed.

It sucked

She couldn't really touch anything physical other than Izuku which was weird. But this was a promising thing to her. Because that means his quirk is untapped and has more potential. She floated there absent mindedly until the show finished and then she made her way about the town.

When she told Izuku he could be a hero she kinda moved in with him. She couldn't really do anything other that talk to him but even that he was grateful for considering he was social isolated at school and at home.

Nana tried her best to give him advice to stop the bullying. She had him on an exercise regimen, so he would bulk up and maybe actually fight back. Unfortunately, Izuku wasn't the aggressive type. But the exercise did help a lot some of kids did back off. Except that Kacchan brat.

She scowled. Nana hated that kid. Thinking he's all that because his quirk is flashy.

Nana had Izuku train a lot and learn some martial arts so maybe he would deck kacchan right in the nose, but he wouldn't punch him at all. He always just murmured "No no, Kacchan he's just a competitive and he isn't a bad guy"

Nana sighed. The kid is too pure hearted. Too her it was endearing and made her want to hold him and take care of him.

Too bad the rest of the world would take this personality and just step on him and abuse him.

She phased through the apartment wall.

"Let's see if anything interesting is happening today" and she flew around the town to watch heroes and villains fight.

She did enjoy this more than she cares to admit. It reminded her of her days has a hero. All the battles with Gran Torino, all the evil doers she put away. How she carried out justice. She reminisced for a couple of hours and anytime a villain with a quirk similar to the one she faced in the past filled her with memories.

But then she remembered the price she paid to be a hero. The death of her husband and how she gave up her son.

Before the emotions could set in she noticed a fire in an alley that broke her train of thought.

She drifted over then and landed on a nearby rooftop and oversaw the crime scene.

There was a giant sludge type monster which was causing all this ruckus.

And he had a kid in his clutches. Nana looked closer.

"It's that Kacchan Brat!" Nana said to no one in particular.

Nana continued to the eye the scene; curious of the outcome.

For a decent while nothing really happened except the sounds of explosion going off due to Katsuki's quirk. The onlookers and the heroes watched helpless as the it seems that the slug villain would kill the middle school child.

Nana was grimacing and hoped that everything would turn out alright.

She wanted to jump in and use her power to blow off the sludge villain. She wanted to save the little brat even though she caused her Little Izuku so much trouble. Even though he was annoying and a bully; he didn't deserve to die. Not like this.

She silently wished that someone would jump in and help the boy. Unfortunately for her the wish was granted.

She saw Izuku running towards the villain.

Her heart sank to her stomach. The adrenaline was coursing through her veins. This was not what she wished for. Little Izuku running to the sludge villain. No. Izuku was running to his death.

She had met him when he was five. In the little idiot was so always so bright and cheerful. She remembers watching him grow up. All the training they did, the lonely nights where they would have good and long conversations about random things. She remembered the chatter box ramblings of heroes due to Little Izuku's fanboy nature.

Overtime Nana started to believe in karma. She always wanted to know why she had remained a ghost. She thought maybe because she wasn't good enough for heaven nor bad enough for hell. Maybe its because everyone becomes a ghost.

But what gave her the most peace was thinking that karma existed and that karma made her ghost and let her meet Izuku to give her the one thing she was denied in life.

Motherhood.

But now she was going to lose everything again.

"Not again…. Please not again" Nana said as tears slowly leaked from her eyes.

Little did she know, she started flickering again.

 _All Might POV_

All Might watched as the sludge villain wreaked havoc in alleyway. He couldn't do anything as his time limit was up.

"Useless" he thought to himself

"Wasn't All Might fighting him?" asked one bystander

"Where is All Might he needs to save this kid!" another whispered

"Did this guy give All Might the slip?" said another

"I'm so pathetic" All Might thought to himself

He silently wished that someone would jump in and help the boy. Unfortunately for him the wish was granted.

He saw the same kid who asked if he could be a quirkless hero go head first into the villain.

His heart sank to his stomach. He watched in awe as the kid threw his backpack and hit the villain in the eye. Izuku had ran up to villain and started clawing at him hopeless trying to get the student out the villain's clutches.

"Deku what are you doing here ?!" The trapped student yelled.

"My body moved on its own!" shouted Izuku

The guilty in All Might's being shot up exponentially.

"Pathetic…Pathetic.. Pathetic!" All Might thought had he sank slowly and slowly into the ground.

"Besides it you looked like you were asking for help!" Izuku shouted as a fear filled smiled came across his face.

"Pathetic" All Might whispered softly to himself.

He was going to let this kid die. He couldn't assume his muscled form anymore. His body was too broken down.

He wasn't half the hero the kid thought he was. He was just….

Pathetic.

He hadn't felt this low since he learned of this teacher's death all those years ago.

He was going to stand by and let this kid die just like he let Nana die.

All because he was too weak.

He looked up to the sky praying to any god that would listen to please send any form of help.

His blood ran cold. He stood there with his mouth wide open and his heart racing.

Looking up at a near rooftop he saw the one person he let down the most

The one person who had give him everything.

The one person who taught him to fight.

The person who gave him his heroic ideology.

The person responsible for creating All Might.

He watched as Nana stood there looking hopeless.

He read her lips and swore the words that came out were

" _Not again…. Please not again"_

All Might screamed internally.

" _ **I'm so fucking Pathetic!"**_

Rage filled his body; every fiber of his was filled with righteous anger and his mind eradicated all previous fillings of self-loathing filled it with pure determination.

He would not let this kid die. Not fucking today.

He transformed into his mighty form. And the power _flooded_ the area. He let All for One surge through his veins.

Everyone turned back in shock. They all felt the power and the pure shockwave of his transformation. But before they could see from whom all the power was coming All Might had already shot towards the villain his speed putting a bullet to shame.

He intercepted the attack meant for Izuku and he spoke solemnly

"I really am pathetic. Even though I admonished you, I wasn't putting what I said into practice!"

He remembers his origin. Where he came from. And who let him be the man he is today.

These thoughts condensed into his heart and exploded out in two words

"Detroit Smash!"

The slime Villain seemed like he was erased from existence and a giant tornado took his place.

All Might looked up to the roof where he saw Nana and confirmed what he already expected. She was gone.

" _Was it all just a daydream?"_ he thought dejected.

Izuku walked home with his head down. He had gotten an earful from the Pro heroes about his reckless actions. Then Kacchan came and cursed him out and saying he didn't need his help and that he is useless.

But honestly, that didn't bother him at all.

Well it did bother him. But compared to what Nana was doing right now it might as well have been praise.

"Maybe your second quirk is that you turn braindead for a couple minutes! You ever consider that you absolute lunatic! "Nana shouted; admonishing the poor boy.

"I didn't really think Nana… My legs just moved on their own" Izuku said sadly.

"Oh, that's good we confirmed it! Your second quirk is that you can become braindead for a short while!" Nana said again as she glared daggers into the boy.

Izuku sighed. He was glad this day was over though. After speaking with All Might he can finally let go of his dream of being a hero. While he did have a quirk, it wasn't combat ready, and it was hard to prove it even existed. So, he had just told him he didn't have a quirk.

He had a small smile. At least he got to meet him once.

Little did he know he was going to meet him again.

"I AM HERE!" All Might shouted as he appeared in front of Izuku.

"All Might? Were you talking to reporters?" Izuku spit out in shock

Nana simply raised her eyebrow "Was Toshinori always this corny? Or..." she thought to herself.

"HAHA GETTING AWAY WAS EASY. WHY? BECAUSE I AM ALL-"He couldn't finish his sentence as he spit out blood and deflated into his true form.

Nana stood (floated) there dumbfounded.

Izuku simply screamed.

All Might cleaned the blood from his mouth and spoke to Izuku in a serious tone

"Young man. I come with thanks, a correction, and a suggestion"

Nana was curious about what was going to happen.

"Top heroes have stories about them from their school days, and they all have one thing in common: there body moved before their brains had time to react"

Izuku started tearing up and his hand moved towards their heart.

"And today that's what happen to you"

Nana knew where this was going, and a massive smile adorned her face and she felt the tears again creeping to her eyes. She looked down and smiled at Izuku who fell to his knees, his hand still grabbing his heart.

All Might spoke

"Young man, you too can become a hero"


End file.
